


Sign of Thanks

by gingayellow



Category: Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger | Burstosaur Squadron Abaranger
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-26
Updated: 2015-02-26
Packaged: 2018-03-15 08:58:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3441233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingayellow/pseuds/gingayellow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[AU, Ryouga/Yukito] Prince Yukito discovers another victim of his father's tyranny. [warnings for unethical science experiments, alluded to abuse, body horror]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sign of Thanks

**Author's Note:**

> AU. For hc_bingo's February challenge. Prompts are: dungeons, lost childhood, mutation, and wild card (nightmares)

Title: Sign of Thanks  
Fandom: Bakuryuu Sentai Aabaranger  
Characters/Pairing: Hakua Ryouga/Sanjou Yukito  
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: Not mine, anything mentioned here by name isn't mine  
Warnings: Body horror, unethical science experiments, alluded to child abuse  
Notes: AU. For hc_bingo's February challenge. Prompts are: dungeons, lost childhood, mutation, and wild card (nightmares)

Yukito should have listened to Kaoru.

For the most part, he had. When she had told him that his father has become even more despicable and was using his subjects for experiments, he had listened. When she had suggested that they sneak into the castle dungeon for evidence, he had agreed. But when she recommended that he take Kai and Ramirez with him, he had stopped listening. He insisted on going alone—as the former crown prince he knew fully well what his father was capable of, and wasn’t going to let anyone else get hurt on this mission.

And now here he was, pinned against the wall against some sort of monster.

The monster gazed down at him, eyes thoughtful even as Yukito struggled helplessly in his talons. He inhaled deeply… and let out a low growl. “Sanjou…”

The monster realized that Yukito was from the royal line. The line that had turned him into something with scales, fangs, and talons, instead of a person.

Yukito clamped down on his rising panic. He needed to figure out a plan to escape, now, and it was clear he was outmatched in strength.

So he gasped out, “If you kill me, you’ll be no better than the king!” Then he closed his eyes and waited to be killed, because honestly, who would care about that after having their humanity stolen from them?

But the monster let him go. Quickly, as if he’d been burned.

Then he fell to the ground, crying out. Yukito didn’t get into grabbing reach since he wasn’t in the mood to get nearly killed again—at least until he screamed/writhed in agony. Convince the monster was no longer a threat, Yukito knelt down next to him. “It’ll be fine,” he lied through his teeth. Assurance was more important than anything else right now. “I’ll get you out of here, and—”

Slowly, the scales and fangs and talons faded away, revealing a man about his age.

A man who smiled up at him weakly. “T-thanks. Appreciate it…” Then he fainted.

Yukito found a blanket in a cell, and wrapped him up in it. Then he grabbed as much research as he could, at least until he heard footfalls. The guards were finally going to do something about the yelling and thrashing in the dungeon, apparently.

So he grabbed the man, and made his escape.

\--

Yukito had been raised in the lap of luxury, but after five years in exile, he’d learned enough to make a tent, start a fire, and fish/cook. He would never be as good as Ramirez (not that he’d admit it out loud), but he was fully confident that he could get them back to Kaoru with no incidents.

His only real concern was that the man had yet to wake up.

He seemed fine—breathing, strong pulse, no fever—but he also hadn’t so much as stirred since they’d escaped. Yukito has gone through the bits of research he’d grabbed, but it was hard to come to any concrete conclusions with what he had. They talked about a mutation (which he had figured out on his own, thank you very much), and suggested it could be used for soldier in the future, if they could stabilize the formula.

“So he’s planning another war.” He was painfully aware of what his father was capable of, but this was too much.

He glanced over at the man—whose life Yukito’s father had destroyed—who was still asleep. “I don’t it doesn’t solve anything, but I’m sorry.” Yukito was essentially alone, so he allowed himself to rub at his eyes. “I’m sorry for what he did.”

The man woke up screaming.

Somehow, Yukito managed from screaming himself, but a surprised yelp still escaped him as he tried to hold him down. “Hey, calm down—”

Thankfully, the man did, a little. “We’re…” He glanced around the woods, eyes unfocused. “We’re not in the dungeon anymore?”

“No, thank goodness.” Yukito poked at the fish he was frying. “I’m going to take you to Princess Kaoru’s kingdom. She’ll help you as much as she can.” He made sure to phrase that as a fact, not a request—he felt for this man, but he couldn’t let him run wild. Especially with his father almost definitely hunting him down.

“Good,” the man breathed, sagging against Yukito. “I could use some help right now.”

“I’ll do what I can.” Yukito pulled away, and pretended to focus on dinner. “Were you having a nightmare?”

“I think so.” The man rubbed his head. “I don’t really remember my dreams anymore. I used to be able to remember even tiny details… oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, he’s your father, right?” The man’s voice oozed compassion. “I know he’s not the best dad ever, but—”

“He’s abusive and only loves power.” Yukito didn’t flinch at those words, but the man did.

“Yes, but your majesty, he’s still your father—”

“Not anymore.” Yukito stood up. “And my name is Yukito. I’m nothing like him,” he spat before storming off.

\--

He didn’t storm off too far, of course. As much as he wanted to, that wouldn’t be practical for either one of them. So Yukito settled for a tree about a meter away to brood under.

But he wasn’t allowed to brood in peace, because the man came up to him. “Sorry, your—I mean, Yukito.” He sat down next to him, eyes fixed on the fire (the man had finished cooking, and put away the fish for later). “I just… my family’s very important to me. Sometimes I forget there are people who had horrible parents.”

“I wish I could forget that, too.” He wasn’t usually this open, but the man was surprisingly/annoyingly good at bringing down his defenses. “I ran way when I was sixteen, and that was when I learned more of his crimes.” And now he was learning more.

“It must’ve been hard. You probably didn’t have much of a childhood.”

“No, not really—okay, that’s enough.” There was only too much about himself that Yukito was willing to divulge. “What do you care about me? I’m the son of the man who turned you into a monster.” It was a purposefully blunt statement, one meant to shut down any further conversation.

But the man smiled. “Yes, you’re the son of the man, but not the man yourself. And seeing how you saved me, I’m thinking you’re pretty darn good!”

“I’m starting to regret that.”

“Aw, Yukito, don’t be like that! Oh, and I’m Ryouga.” He smiled. “Sorry, what with the whole being a monster and nearly killing you and passing out I never had a chance to properly introduce myself.”

“Humph.” Yukito leaned against the tree. “Why do you even care about my relationship with my father?”

“Well, like I said, family is important to me. That’s kinda how I got into this mess to begin with.”

“What do you mean?”

Ryouga sighed softly. “My brother and his wife were killed in the last war. They left behind a little girl, and I had no money to help support… so, while I was aware the experiments were creepy, they also agreed to pay for Mai’s schooling and food and clothes. But it turned out to be worse than I thought it’d be,” and he laughed hollowly, “I can keep it down most of the time. Enough to where I think I can be with Mai again. But now I don’t even know where she is.”

“Then we’ll find her.”

“You…” Ryouga looked up at him, eyes huge. “You’d really help me?”

Yukito was going to reply with _Yes, it that hard to believe_ , but after everything Ryouga had endured, perhaps it was. “I would.” And it would give him a chance to undo the damage his father had done, if only a little.

“Thank you so much!” Ryouga was all smiles again as he guided Yukito to the fire. “But let’s eat dinner first. We need to keep our strength up!”

“I fried some fish,” Yukito explained as Ryouga took an eager bite—and then made a face.

“Tell you what,” he said as he dutifully took a second bite. “To thank you for all your help, I will make you dinners from now on.”


End file.
